by Sarah Lynch, USATODAY

by Sarah Lynch, USATODAY

CAIRO â?? The capital erupted in celebration Wednesday evening â?? fireworks rippling through the sky, car horns beeping wildly and flags flying high â?? after the military announced it will impose a plan for a transition period in the troubled country.

"People are excited like I've never seen before," said Mohammad El-Aroussi, 27, after he left Tahrir Square, which exploded with festivities. But he didn't know who would take charge of the country.

"We don't know what will happen to Morsi and the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood," El Aroussi said. "But of course we want a civilian leader to run the country. No one wants the military to rule the country anymore."

As he spoke, a vehicle drove by with men riding on the hood and top of the car as children inside trailed flags and solicited passersby to join in their celebration.

For days, anti-Morsi supporters have flooded Tahrir Square and other locations across the country to demand that Morsi resign and that early presidential elections be ordered.

The transitional plan announced Wednesday was decided by the National Salvation Front, the main coalition of anti-Morsi groups, said opposition figure Mohamed Abou El Ghar, president of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party. It was given to Mohamed ElBaradei â?? leader of the coalition â?? and then to the army, Abou El Ghar said.

"It is a popular move, as you have seen very clearly in the streets," said Abou El Ghar, insisting that this is not a coup.

The constitution is suspended and the military has ordered new elections. A small council is expected to govern the country, led by an honorary, civilian head, Abou el Ghar said, which effectively forces out Morsi.

Interior designer Amir Dous, 36, who is against Morsi, said the current upheaval is not about going back, but about going forward, adding that he wants to have a "new democratic country."

But others are dejected by the news that their leader has been ousted just one year after he won a historic election.

"I'm so worried about Egypt," said Ahmed Hassan, a lawyer and Muslim Brotherhood supporter who views the situation as a military coup. "We don't know what is going on after Morsi goes, or if everything will be fine. I don't know what the liberal groups will do."

As Hassan watched a Muslim Brotherhood television channel, called Misr 25, the station was cut off just moments after the military came out with their announcement Wednesday evening. He was home in Egypt's Nile Delta region north of the capital, unable to view a pro-Morsi rally at a Cairo mosque because it was not broadcast on any other local news channel, he said.

Managers of the Brotherhood TV station have been arrested and other conservative channels went black after the army's announcement, reports said.

"And #Egypt enters another military coup cycle," said Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad on his Twitter feed. "Will the ppl of #Egypt take it, AGAIN !!" he said.

Many were glad to see the military step aside from power positions last year after it ruled for more than 16 months in the interim period after Mubarak's ousted. After Morsi was elected in the nation's first democratic vote, he forced top generals into retirement and gave himself executive and legislative powers.

But this week, opposition protesters exalted the military, which they viewed as their only hope for getting Morsi to step down. They cheered without fail whenever army helicopters flew over the square, yelling "The army and the people are one hand!" â?? a chant that displays unity.

"The military wants to defend Egypt," said Jihan Youssef, wearing a white headscarf and raising her voice over chants, whistles and tooting horns that have made parts of the city feel like a festival.

On Wednesday night, Amnesty International urged security forces and the army to protect the human rights and safety of everyone in Egypt.

"In this time of great tension and with the constitution suspended, it is more important than ever that the military comply with Egypt's obligations under international human rights law," said Salil Shetty, General Secretary of Amnesty International.

"Amid fears of possible reprisals and revenge attacks against supporters of President Morsi, along with the worrying trend of mob violence and sexual assaults on women this is a time for extreme caution," Shetty said.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of State warned U.S. citizens to defer travel to Egypt and said Americans living in Egypt should depart due to political and social unrest. The Department of State also ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members from Egypt.

But many will celebrate.

Minerva Ezzeldin, from the southern part of Cairo, stood with a camera around her neck in Tahrir early Wednesday evening, anticipating Morsi would be ousted even before the army's announcement was made. "This is something I have to remember forever," she said.